Monday, October 25, 2010

Hawk Watching and Owl Banding

Another weekend down in Bedford County watching hawks and catching owls....

Friday night I stopped by Shawnee State Park and found a Red-necked Grebe. This is a fairly uncommon bird in PA and was a lifer for me and also year bird 441! I went back the next morning to try to find it again, but couldnt. There was a beautiful looking Merlin though, terrorizing the American Goldfinches.

Merlin at Shawnee State Park
For the rest of Saturday I hawk watched at Tussey Mountain. It was a prety slow day with only 30 some raptors migrating past. Highlights were one male, one female, and one juvenile Northern Harriers; three adult Bald Eagles; and one adult Common Loon. Red-tailed Hawks made up the bulk of the count.
juvenile Red-tailed Hawk

adult female Sharp-shinned Hawk

juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk
Sunday I hawk watched at the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch. We had 56 raptors migrate past, mostly Red-tailed Hawks. We did have one Norhern harrier and one Red-shouldered Hawk though. Sunday night I banded Northern Saw-whet Owls. Before the full moon had a chance to get too high in the sky and make it bright as day out, we managed to capture 8 saw-whets. Seven were hatch year birds and one was a second year bird.

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